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Another etymology of the word "guru" found in the GuruGita, includes gu as "beyond the qualities" and ru as "devoid of Form", stating that "He who bestows that nature which transcend the qualities is said to be guru". The meanings of "gu" and "ru" can also be traced to the Sutras indicating concealment and its annulment.

Some scriptures and gurus have warned against false teachers, and have recommended that the Spiritual seeker test the guru before accepting him. Some have given criteria on how to distinguish false from genuine ones:

Sathya Sai Baba said in a discourse (Sathya Sai Speaks, vol I, p. 197) that the hunt for rich disciples who can be fleeced has become a tragicomedy, and said in the booklet Sandeha Nivarini that the seeker should test the guru by assessing whether his words are full of Wisdom, and whether he puts into practice what he preaches.

Saibaba The Master by Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja an in depth study of Shirdi Sai as a guru insists that one must follow the way of reading Life histories of saints and it is the saints which will show us the correct guru when we are ready and capable of serving a guru. In Sufi-ism which revolves around Aulias(Saints), a Disciple prays a Sufi-saint at his tomb, until the saint appears in a dream to the Disciple and shows him the correct and living guru to go and serve. This is claimed as the Most secure way of entering a Guru-Shishya Parampara. GuruCharitra by Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja explains it in more detail.

David C. Lane, a professor of sociology, and, since 2005, an ex-member and critic of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, argued in 1997 that based on his research of the Radha Soami movement that few gurus have a flawless and well-documented lineage, and that there is quite often conflict between different disciples claiming to be the only legitimate successor of their guru

Dr. David C. Lane proposes a checklist consisting of seven points to assess gurus in his book, Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical. One of his points is that Spiritualteachers should have high standards of Moral conduct and that followers of gurus should interpret the behavior of a Spiritualteacher by following Ockham's razor and by using common sense, and, should not naively use Mystical explanations unnecessarily to explain immoralbehavior. Another point Lane makes is that the bigger the claim a guru makes, such as the claim to be God, the bigger the chance is that the guru is unreliable. Dr. Lane's fifth point is that self-proclaimed gurus are likely to be more unreliable than gurus with a legitimate lineage.

According to the journalist Sacha Kester, in a 2003 article in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, finding a guru is a precarious matter, pointing to the many holy men in India and the case of Sathya Sai Baba whom Kester considers a swindler. In this article he also quotes the bookKarma Cola describing that in this book a German economist tells author Gita Mehta, "It is my opinion that quality control has to be introduced for gurus. Many of my friends have become crazy in India". She describes a comment by Suranya Chakraverti who said that some Westerners do not believe in Spirituality and ridicule a true guru. Other westerners, Chakraverti said, on the other hand believe in Spirituality but tend to put Faith in a guru who is a swindler.

Notable scandals and controversies

Some notable scandals and controversies regarding gurus or the groups that they founded are:

The lifestyle of Osho (BhagwanShree Rajneesh) with his 93 Rolls Royces at his disposal (though as a gift from his followers), a bioterrorist attack at The Dalles, Oregon by some of his followers, the group's successful effort to take control of the city of Antelope, Oregon, his unusual teachings that contradicted both traditionalMorality and Hindu norms, the group therapy sessions with little restraints, and the liberal sexual freedom that he promoted.
The Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway by Aum Shinrikyo founded by the guruShoko Asahara in Japan.